Carla Marinucci: Never too early to think about the 2010 governor’s campaign

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama’s Bay Area visit Wednesday created lots of buzz — some of it extending all the way to the 2010 California governor’s race. We’re referring to Democrat Steve Westly, who was front and center in a crowd of high tech power players at Google — and who hosted Obama at a major fundraiser at his Atherton home.

Westly, co-chair of the Obama campaign, was surrounded by press in the “Googleplex”, and was happy to talk politics.

The former Democratic gubernatorial candidate, now a venture capitalist in the powerhouse complex of Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, talked about the VC firm’s newest partner, Al Gore.

“I ran into him at the coffee machine … we work in the same office,” he said.

Asked about his own future in politics — he has the money and the name recognition to make a run at the state’s top spot — Westly broke into a smile. “We’re looking very carefully at the goverenor’s race,” he said.

When reporters joked about why politicians just can’t give a “yes, I’m running” or “no, I’m not” answer to a question, the former state controller got a mischievous look on his face.

“Why don’t you ask the attorney general that question?” he deadpanned.